By Manuel Perez: Super featherweight Francisco Arce (28-4-2, 19 KOs), better known as the younger brother of Jorge Arce, the former light flyweight champion, stopped Panamanian journeyman William De Sousa (33-12-1, 13 KOs) by a second round KO on Saturday night at the Salon Rojo, Toluca, in México. The end came suddenly after Arce landed a hard left to the body that sent De Sousa down in pain.
The fight was stopped at 1:26 of the 2nd round. Arce, 27, won the vacant IBF Latino super flyweight title in the process of defeating De Sousa. Although the younger Arce doesn’t have nearly the same skills as his older brother or anywhere close the same accomplishments, he’s still a decent fighter and showed that he has some quality weapons in his arsenal, starting with his body shots.
De Sousa, 33, had problems in the opening round with Arce’s powerful hooks to the body, which at one point slightly hurt De Sousa after he was hit with a hard left hook to the midsection causing him to retreat across the ring to the ropes late in the round.
Arce, who only vaguely resembles his older brother, then went after De Sousa and hit him with six unanswered blows while the Panamanian was laying on the ropes. The round ended at that time before Arce could add to his punishment to De Sousa.
In the 2nd round, went after De Sousa, landing heavy shots to the head. However, instead of trying to finish him, Arce circled the ring, letting De Sousa take charge for a brief spell. A short while later, Arce again went after De Sousa and hit him with a left-right combination to the head followed by a big sweeping left hook to De Sousa’s left side, which sent him to the canvas in pain. The fight was immediately stopped at 1:26 of the round.
In other action, former World Boxing Council light flyweight champion Eric Ortiz (30-8-2, 19 KOs) stopped Juan Alfonso Keb Baas (31-20-2, 20 KOs) in the 4th round of a scheduled eight-round bout. The end came after Ortiz staggered Keb, 37, with a left-right combination. The fight was then stopped. Earlier in the round, Keb had been rocked with a huge right hand from Ortiz, sending him to the ropes. Keb then received a standing eight count before the action was resumed. Ortiz dominated all four rounds of the fight with his hard combinations and fast hands.
Undefeated featherweight prospect Oscar Arenas (13-0, 12 KOs) stopped Martin Valdez (2-4, 2 KOs) in the 2nd round of a 4-round bout. Arena, 17, was dominating the action in the 1st and 2nd rounds, stalking the badly over-matched Valdez around the ring and hitting him with combinations. In the 2nd round, both fighters clashed heads twice in the round with the second looking as if Valdez had hit him with his head intentionally. The fight was stopped after the round.
Lightweight Erick Garduno (9-10-2, 8 KOs) stopped Omar Sierra (0-2) in the 8th round, stopping him with a left to the body, causing him to turn around and walk towards the ropes while clutching his midsection. Initially, it seemed as if were a low blow. However, the referee ruled it as a legitimate shot to the midsection and the fight was promptly stopped because Sierra was in too much pain to continue. Sierra fought well in the first six rounds, appearing to win all of them with his combination punching. However, he tired out in the 7th, allowing Garduno to take charge of the fight.